Region's first Mormon temple to open in Davie

Motorists driving on Interstate 75 likely have noticed the large building going up north of Griffin Road.

The Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple, the first Mormon temple in South Florida, is slated to open early next year on Southwest 154th Avenue in Davie. It's expected to serve 28,000 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including congregations from Stuart to the Florida Keys, as well as Fort Myers, Naples and the Bahamas.

Jim Robinson, a stake president and regional church leader who presides over 11 congregations in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, has seen great growth over the years.

"There weren't really a lot of members of the church around back then," he said. "In the mid-1970s, they built [a temple] in Washington, D.C., and then in the 1980s in Atlanta. Then in 1994, there was another one built in Orlando. The reason our temple is being built here now is because the ranks of our members have grown to such a size that we can use it to accommodate us."

The church bought 32 acres in 2009, of which about 12 acres is where the temple is being constructed. The groundbreaking was in the summer of 2011 and drew such dignitaries as Davie Mayor Judy Paul and County Commissioner Lois Wexler.

Robinson said work officially started in 2012, with the two-year plan toward completion on schedule. He is looking forward to welcoming the public to the 28,000-square-foot building.

"The [design] is pretty unique," he said. "… The sandstone color is very South Florida. When these temples are built, our idea is that they are monuments to our faith and to God. They are made with the very best materials and finest workmanship because we believe these things are going to be here for a very long time and we want it to stand out."

According to a church press release, once construction is completed, a public open house will be scheduled. It then "will be formally dedicated and thereafter used by faithful members of the church for marriages, baptisms and other sacred ordinances intended to provide eternal family relationships."

The church has more than 140 temples worldwide, and this will only be the second in the state.

M. Anthony Burns is excited to see a South Florida temple come to fruition. Burns served as chairman of the groundbreaking committee and is an area seventy (a priesthood office) for the church.

"This temple is a result of many efforts by those serving in our area. Having a temple in South Florida will not only bring blessings to our members but peace and comfort as well," he said.